Never A Hero
by AFatFlyingWhale
Summary: When she awoke, Ruby Rose was only somewhat concerned that she was in some kind of dungeon cell. Arrested for performing illegal magic, she is found by a man with a proposition for her. No choice but to accept, Ruby finds herself at Beacon Tower, surrounded by fellow magic-wielders, but is everything as it seems, and just what can her magic do? RWBY AU, irregularly updated.
1. Awakening

Chains.

All she could feel was the cold steel of the chains against her bare skin, the manacles chafing her wrists as she hung from the stone walls.

 _Drip… drip…_

There was also the matter of the very-much-not-water that dripped down from the ceiling, slowly but surely increasing the size of the puddle on the other end of the room.

A single, iron-barred window let in a minimal amount of light, the ambient glow of the shattered moon doing nothing but illuminate the very edges of the bricks in the wall, giving depth but nothing else.

 _Drip… drip…_

The door to the room was solid, oaken if she had to guess, and very much locked. A single grate covered the tiny window at the top, and was solid enough that even if she were free of these damnable chains there wouldn't be much she could do.

She didn't know how long she'd been in here, seeing as when the moon disappeared from the sky it was replaced with thick, dark clouds of ash and smoke, rather than the usual sun, but from how hungry she was, she could assume it had been days.

Easily three days, no longer than a week. It didn't leave much for accuracy, but it was the best she could do in this situation.

 _Drip… drip…_

Oh, gods that was really starting to drive her insane. If her captors didn't come see her soon, she was liable to hang herself with the chains, if she could even maneuver her arms and neck into the right places.

 _Drip… drip…_

The dripping sound continued, and she squirmed, trying to hook the chain under her throat, but it was obviously better designed then to just let a prisoner commit suicide.

It was then she heard a different sound. One that she was both looking forward to, and absolutely terrified of.

Footsteps.

The click-clacking of heels on stonework sounded down the hallway, as a figure approached.

She assumed the figure was female, although she had to stifle a nervous laugh as the thought of her captor being a man that wore heels.

She didn't get all that much time to continue down that line of thought as the door opened, creaking as it reached the apex of its angle, before clanking the metal handle against the stone.

"Ms Rose. A pleasure to meet you."

* * *

Ruby Rose was not your average fifteen year old.

No, Ruby Rose was most definitely not.

Instead, Ruby Rose was chained up in the dungeon of a depressing castle, with a strict looking blonde woman staring at her.

"Hi?" Ruby offered, a little confused.

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch, Ms Rose. I assume you know who I am?" The blonde woman asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl.

Ruby wracked her brain, memories and ideas flowing through in an attempt to remember. "Um… You're the Queen of Beacon?"

Glynda nodded a confirmation. "Yes, Ms Rose, I am. Now, do you know why you are here?"

Ruby shook her head. "Haven't a clue, your Highness."

"Hmph. It would appear your jailor has not done their job as well as to be expected. Thank you for letting me know. I shall explain in their stead, I suppose."

Ruby nodded fervently.

"You have been arrested for crimes against nature, Ms Rose. I assume you know what I am speaking of?"

Ruby wracked her brain once more. "Was it the magic? It was probably the magic, wasn't it."

"Yes, Ms Rose. It was the magic. It was very much the magic. Which, as I should mention, is strictly restricted, mostly outlawed, and very dangerous," Glynda replied, eyebrow remaining raised.

"If I say sorry will you let me go with a warning?"

Glynda sighed. "If it were up to me, I'd wouldn't even let you go with a slap on the wrist… but it isn't, for once. No, there is someone else who wishes to speak with you."

Ruby gaped as the shadows themselves seemed to part, and a man stepped through the door.

Grey hair messily parted, glasses that seemed to be more of a fashion statement than a requirement, and a cane so well-crafted it looked millenia old, he looked at the chained Ruby on the wall with an amused glance.

"Well, this is a surprise. Surely Ms Rose does not need to be chained to the wall like a common criminal, does she?"

"Unfortunately for Ms Rose, that was entirely her fault," Glynda replied, glaring at Ruby.

"Eh-heh," Ruby laughed nervously.

"Well, Ms Rose, I shall leave you in his capable hands whilst I speak with your jailor." With that, Glynda left the cell, leaving the grey-haired man and the chained Ruby with just each other.

"Hello, Ms Rose. I don't believe we've been formally introduced."

Ruby waved a single hand in a chained-up gesture of greeting. "Hi."

"Hello. My name is Ozpin, Beacon's grand wizard. I assume you've at least heard of me."

The man, Ozpin, received a nod.

"Well, that saves us some time, I suppose. You've broken a rather strict law, Ms Rose."

Ruby lowered her head. "I didn't mean to. I was just…"

"No, Ms Rose, I am not mad. In fact, I am almost glad you did so, though not for a reason that would benefit any but myself. You really have two choices. You can either serve your sentence here, branded a criminal for the rest of your life, or you can serve me. Which would you like to pick?"

Ruby gaped. ' _Branded a criminal? Yeah, no thanks!'_

"I'll work for you, Mr Grand Wizard Ozpin, sir!"

Ozpin smiled. "I knew you'd see it my way, Ms Rose."

* * *

Well, at least she was free. Technically.

In service to a perpetually confusing and eternally amused older wizard was most definitely not complete freedom, but at least that persistent, consistent, infuriating dripping wasn't sounding out, or following her. Granted, sounds couldn't really follow a person, but knowing Ruby's luck, she'd be surprised if that was true.

"Well, Ms Rose, this is my tower," Ozpin said, gesturing to the immense stonework tower that, well, towered over the spacious courtyard, which had far more sunlight in it than the window to the dungeon cell had ever provided, something Ruby was very suspicious of.

"It's, uh, tall?" Ruby offered, trying her best not to insult her newest caretaker-slash-boss.

That amused face didn't waver. "Yes, Ms Rose, it is. Come, I shall show you your room, and your assignments."

Ruby followed along like a lost puppy as Ozpin led her inside, the tower being deceptively bigger on the inside than it had seemed from the outside.

Granted, it had seemed pretty damn big from the outside, too.

They climbed a series of rotund stairs, and Ozpin knocked on one of the doors.

It opened rapidly, and Ruby noticed the black-haired figure's gaze lock onto hers within a moment of the door opening.

"Ms Belladonna. It is nice to see you once again. This is Ruby Rose, your new compatriot and roommate. Please, do your best to treat her well, and help her around," Ozpin said, that amused look still on his face. "Ms Rose, Blake Belladonna will show you to your first assignment once you've settled in."

With that, a hand gently pushed her stunned figure inside, Blake stepping aside as Ruby felt her legs move involuntarily, in order to prevent her from simply falling on her face, no matter how much she felt that that might help her situation.

Thrown into the proverbial deep end, Ruby looked at the amber-eyed girl who was supposedly her new roommate.

"Um, hi. I'm Ruby. It's a pleasure to meet you," Ruby greeted, offering a shaky hand.

Blake looked at the hand for a moment, before taking it into her grasp and giving it a gentle shake. "Nice to meet you, Ruby. I'm Blake. Would you like to get settled in first, or should I give you the tour?"

Ruby took a second before replying. "I don't really have any stuff to unpack, or any stuff at all, so I guess we should probably just skip to the tour?"

A tiny smirk graced the face of the black-haired girl, and she opened the door, gesturing for Ruby to follow.

* * *

"This is the main courtyard, where we train and spar. Magically reinforced, boundaries prepared, and Ozpin constantly aware of what's going on, it allows us to go all out with our magic."

Ruby marveled at what she didn't know, looking around the courtyard she'd been standing in moments before. Now that she looked, she could see scorch marks and small, spider-web-like cracks in the stone paving.

"Come, let's keep moving."

The two reentered the tower, and Blake continued to lead Ruby.

"This is the armory, where we store and maintain all the weapons the tower could need or want. It also has the vault, where we keep all the artifacts, and dangerous or cursed equipment," Blake explained, and Ruby stared in awe at the expansive room, heat radiating from one corner. Blake noticed her stare.

"Over there is where we forge our own weapons, should we need to. I don't know how to personally, but seeing as I'm the only one here today besides Ozpin, that shouldn't be a problem in the future."

"Woah," Ruby let out, staring.

Blake placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder, effectively dragging her out of the room and towards another.

"These are the dorms, where our room is located. Shared between two, the vast majority are full. I was enjoying my solitude, but as long as you don't make a mess or try your hardest to annoy me I'm certain we'll get along fine," Blake said.

"Uh, I'll try?" Ruby offered.

"That all I ask," Blake replied, as she led Ruby further up the tower.

"This is the library. It has books from all over the planes, and is one of, if not the most, comprehensive collections of knowledge to have ever existed. It's also incredibly peaceful."

Blake almost seemed to hold a reverent opinion of the library, and Ruby could see why. It seemed to just continue forever, unending shelves of book after book.

"I tend to spend most of my time here, so if you need to find a book on something just ask, I'll be happy to help," Blake said, and Ruby nodded in stunned silence.

The black-haired girl then led Ruby out of the library, and up more stairs.

"This is the kitchens, and the dining hall, where we cook and eat. We have to handle our own food, so usually one of us cooks, and the rest clean, and it rotates on a schedule. We'll see what you can cook, and fit you in somewhere, I'm sure."

Ruby nodded along with Blake's explanation, only slightly terrified of having to cook.

Well, she didn't know how many people she'd be cooking for, but still.

"I think that about covers the important stuff. If there's anything else, just ask. It's getting to be a little late, though, so I think we should return to our room," Blake said, and Ruby nodded in silent agreement, following the taller girl back down the stairs and to the dorms, where Blake held the door open for her.

"I guess my bed's on the other side of the room?" Ruby asked, as Blake sat down on what was presumably hers.

A non-committal 'mm-hmm' was the only response to the obvious question, and Ruby decided that she'd just avoid asking any obvious questions anymore.

As Ruby settled into her new bed, she watched as Blake leaned over, and a single gust of air from within her lungs ended the life of all that brought light to the room.

* * *

Morning broke, and it brought with it a whole new set of problems for Ruby.

First, she woke up with a start, unsure of where she was.

Second, it seemed Blake was already awake, staring in mild surprise at the girl who had practically bolted upright without any provocation.

"Oh, um, sorry. I forget I was here, it surprised me," Ruby said in way of an explanation.

Blake just nodded gently. "It was much the same for me when I arrived here. I understand how you feel."

"How did you get here, if you don't mind me asking?" Ruby questioned.

A dark expression crossed Blake's face. "I'd rather not speak of it."

"Ah… sorry. Would you like to hear how I got here?"

The expression disappeared, replaced by a curious look. "If you don't mind telling me."

"Well, it started like this."

* * *

"Ruby, I don't know if this is a good idea."

Blonde locks that flowed in every direction, so long as that direction obeyed gravity and made the wielder look good, lilac eyes and a incredibly proportioned body that would give many a run for their money, Yang Xiao Long was staring worriedly at her younger sister.

"Pfft, relax, Yang! It's not like anyone's around! How am I supposed to get ahead of the curve if I can't practise?" Ruby queried, waving away her older sister's concerns.

"And if something goes wrong?" Yang asked.

"That's what you're here for, duh!" Ruby exclaimed, as if it were the easiest thing to grasp.

"Right. Well, good luck lil sis," Yang said, her voice a mix of anticipation, nervousness, and excitement.

"Here goes nothing!" Ruby said, before closing her eyes.

Yang watched as Ruby focused, and soon enough Yang was bored.

 _Crack!_

That woke Yang out of her boredom.

Red lightning seemed to crackle around, and Ruby didn't seem to notice. It spat through the air, leaving behind sizzling ozone and waves of heat, but Ruby didn't react.

Yang, however, couldn't get close.

A bolt of red lightning struck Ruby's clenched hands, and Yang gasped.

Ruby, once again, didn't react.

Another bolt, and a third, and a fourth, until it was just an endless chain of red lightning, sparking and spiralling around the red-cloaked girl to the point where it was almost hard to even stand nearby, the burning, acrid smell of cooked ozone and the heat that wafted off where Ruby stood wilting the very grass around her.

"Ruby!" Yang exclaimed, but her voice was stolen away by the very air that surrounded her, and Yang began to find it hard to breath.

Ruby, still unaware, continued, even as Yang backed away, choking breaths coming rapidly as her lungs rejected the air.

It all ended at an incredible speed, as a single, immense bolt of red lightning struck the ground where Ruby stood, illuminating the day with a flash of crimson that would be forever etched into Yang's mind.

Where Ruby stood was scorched beyond repair, leaving only charred ashes and cinders where lush grass had been.

And, in the very center, stood Ruby.

Over her shoulder was slung a scythe made of pure red lightning.

"You there! You're under arrest, girly! You can't cast magic without a license, girly!"

Both Yang and Ruby turned to face the portly guard that ran up to them, chainmail clinking as he panted, jogging up towards them.

Yang gasped. "Wait, guardsman, it isn't what you think it is!"

The guard never got the opportunity to react as Ruby simply disappeared, spontaneously appearing behind the guard.

And then the guard simply fell apart.

The guard hadn't been alone, simply the first, and they joined Yang in quickly trying to stop Ruby.

Silver eyes glazed over, Ruby seemed to simply cease to exist and reappear in different spots, and even though the guards and Yang were trained in anti-magical combat, it was not easy.

Yang leapt, and Ruby seemed to just phase out of existence, appearing a couple meters to the side, facing sideways to where Yang had just seen her.

A guard leapt as well, but the guard fared far worse, head being summarily removed from his body.

"Ruby, stop! You've lost control!" Yang screamed at her sister, but the words fell upon deaf ears, as that red scythe seemed to flicker in and out of reality, the third of four guards screaming in delayed agony as he noticed his arm lying on the ground a few meters away.

Yang focused as she ignored the fourth guard screaming in pure, unadulterated pain, before it was silenced.

Yellow flames crackled to life around the older girl, and suddenly Ruby was on the ground, standing in front of her with the face of a curious child.

Head tilted, empty silver eyes focused on the red glow that Yang's own eyes emitted, Ruby seemed to be interested in what was about to happen.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby, but this is for the best," Yang said mournfully.

* * *

"And that's about what I remember. It was like watching my own body from afar. I…"

Blake offered Ruby a sad smile. "I know how you mean. The first time can be… disturbing, especially if you aren't prepared for it."

"At least I knew why they chained me up," Ruby remarked, a teary laugh escaping her lips.

"Chained you up?" Blake asked, obviously confused.

"Yeah, in Beacon's dungeons. I was there for like, three days, I think."

Blake looked to be in deep thought. "Ozpin mentioned a new magical visitor in the dungeons over a week ago, Ruby."

"Wha? Wait, I was in there for more than a week? I swore it couldn't have been longer than a week!" Ruby exclaimed, staring at her new roommate in shock.

"Well, maybe it would be better to ask Ozpin," Blake suggested, gesturing to the door.

Ruby was out the door in a flash.

Blake stared at the ajar door.

"She doesn't even know where he is."

* * *

Blake had been, unsurprisingly, right.

However, fortunately for Ruby, she was fast, and despite how massive the tower was, there were only so many rooms one could put an office, and so she checked them all.

Honestly, why she didn't start at the very top she didn't know, but when she entered the room filled with the constant turning of clockwork mechanics, she realised that if this wasn't Ozpin's office, then she had just decided to work with an idiot.

"Woah…" She uttered, only to hear a gentle laugh.

"Hello, Ms Rose. What brings you to my office so early in the morning?"

"Oh, um, hi, sir. I was just wondering, about something Blake mentioned. How long was I in that cell?"

At this, Ozpin seemed to lose that amused expression.

"Ah. I suspected you'd ask that question soon enough. I'll make this quick, I suppose."

Ruby stared as the man worked his way through what he was planning on saying.

"You were in that cell for a month, Ms Rose."

Shock filled Ruby's mind and body like a liquid poured into a mould of her, starting at the very base of her feet until it overflowed out the top of her head, drenching her.

"A-a month!?" She exclaimed, breaking the silence that had followed Ozpin's declaration.

"Yes, Ms Rose. I suspect you don't remember much of it, seeing as you were not yourself for much of it. I will admit, I had to bolster the enchantments on those manacles far beyond any I'd ever used. Your magical potential is… potent, and dangerous."

Ruby simply gaped in shock.

"That is what you are here for, Ms Rose. I, along with others, are here to train you so that you may use your magical potential without losing control. Again."

Ruby took a step back. "Wh-what happened with my sister, my father, my uncle?"

Ozpin looked almost sad. "For the moment, your family is operating under the belief that you were executed for your crimes. It was the only way to keep them safe, as well."

Ruby collapsed.

* * *

"Hey, wakey wakey!"

Ruby's eyes snapped open, silver irises glaring at the ginger-haired girl whose face was almost pressed up against her own.

"Woah, that did work!" The girl cheered, pulling back with a beaming smile on her face.

"Nora, please don't disturb her. She's had a hard enough day as is."

Ruby turned her head to see a man with long, black hair sitting opposite the ginger, a glow of green and pink emitting from his palm.

"Hello, Ms Rose. My name is Lie Ren, but please, call me Ren. I'm the medic, I suppose, for the tower. A pleasure to meet you, though I wish it was in better circumstances."

Ruby gave a shaky nod.

"And I'm Nora Valkyrie!"

Another shaky nod.

"Nora is our expert in physical combat, here at the tower. She's also far more interested in my work than you particularly, so don't take any offense," Ren explained, giving the ginger a glare that she seemed to completely miss.

"Ren's a healer!" Nora exclaimed.

Ruby shuffled up in the bed she was laid in, resting her head against the top of the bedframe.

"Wha-what happened?" She asked.

"You fainted, when Ozpin was discussing news of your past with you, I believe."

A spike of emotional pain shot through Ruby like a bolt of lightning. "Yeah…"

"Nora and I understand how you feel, Ms Rose. We… well, we've been in similar situations before," Ren said, placing a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"Thanks, and please, call me Ruby."

A small smile graced the healer's face. "Of course, Ruby."

"So, Ruby, who's your roommate?" Nora asked, excitedly.

"Um… Blake is?" Ruby ventured, unsure of the reaction she was expecting.

"Ha! You've got the bookworm!" Nora exclaimed with a booming laugh, before her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "Don't try and read any of the books she has under her bed. She's killed to protect those before."

"Knock it off, Nora. Ren, how's the patient?"

A third figure entered the room, a gangly blond teen with a friendly smile on his face.

"Oh, Jaune. This is Ruby Rose, our newest recruit. She's just woken, and the healing went well," Ren explained.

"Hi there, Ruby. I'm Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue. Ladie-"

Jaune didn't get to finish as a punch to the stomach dropped him to his knees. "Nuh-uh, Jaune-Jaune! We agreed you'd stop with the crappy one-liners!"

"Yeah, my bad," Jaune groaned from his position on the floor. Nora decided mercy was deserved, and quickly helped him back up.

"Jaune's the second newest recruit. Now that you've taken his place as the newest, he can finally get an actual job that doesn't involve him getting maimed all the time," Ren said with a hint of humour.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Ren, it was once. I got maimed once."

Ruby looked on in shock. "Maimed?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, big Boarbatusk, decided I'd look good as a horn ornament. Tusk went straight through my leg, but Ren patched it up, good as new. I've never met a guy who could use healing magic as well as Ren can."

"You fought a Boarbatusk?" Ruby asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah, sure. I've been here for six months, and at some point someone had to get bored of clearing the piggies from the eastern border. I got better at it, too. Unlike what Ren thinks."

Ruby stared in surprise.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You'll have to get the hang of your magics before you get anywhere near that level of combat. Trust me, it took me… a while before I managed to figure out mine, and it isn't anywhere remotely near the level of the rest of you guys."

Jaune seemed to stand with an easy confidence, and yet he seemed almost awkward at the same time. It was remarkably disorienting.

"And hey, don't worry. We've all seen someone lose control of their magics before, it happens. We're all prepared and able to handle it, some more than others. Even if it does happen, and we can't stop you, we could just leave you in the courtyard till it wears off!" Jaune said with a short laugh. "That's what they did to me the first time, anyway. Turns out impenetrable defenses means it's pretty hard to stop me."

Ruby gave a small, nervous laugh. "I, um… I don't think that'll work with me."

Jaune's easy smile turned to one of concern. "Oh? And why's that?"

"The last time I lost control… Well, I only woke up a few days ago."

It was Jaune's turn to gape. "Woah… A few days? That's almost Weiss's record!"

Ren shook his head.

"No, I mean I woke up a few days ago. I was out for a month," Ruby corrected, head down.

Jaune stared at her. "Huh. That'd… yeah, I could see why that wouldn't work. Good thing I'm pretty much the go to for controlless magics, now. Turns out being magic-proof is rather useful. I'll make sure you don't go too far, Ruby. An Arc never goes back on his word!"

Ruby gave the teen a thankful smile. "Thanks, Jaune. Thanks for the healing too, Ren."

The calmer teen gave her a peaceful smile. "Not at all, Ruby. There wasn't much for me to do, either. Now, I believe you have somewhere to be, both of you?"

Jaune jumped in shock. "Oh, right! That's why I came! Ruby, Ozpin sent me to fetch you, to take you to the courtyard. According to Ozpin, the best distraction is to work!"

Ruby began to stand from the bed, feet against the cold floor.

"I'll just, uh, wait outside."

Ruby looked at herself, dressed in her nightwear still. "Yeah, that'd… that'd be fine."

* * *

Grand Wizard Ozpin stood in the courtyard, with two girls Ruby didn't recognize either side of him.

One, platinum blonde hair and a graceful presence, the other hair red as her cloak, a powerful presence.

Both gave off almost an aura of regality, and Ruby shrunk under their gazes.

Except the red-haired one gave her an easy, friendly smile, and the other simply gave a polite nod.

"Ah, Ms Rose, glad you could join us. I assume you are feeling better?" Ozpin asked, and Ruby gave a small, nervous nod.

"Good, good. Ms Rose, this is Weiss Schnee, and Pyrrha Nikos, the two most powerful magic wielders at the tower. They'll be overseeing your training from now on, alongside Mr Arc here."

With a nod, he gestured towards Jaune, who gave Ruby a cheerful smile.

"For the first session, I'll also be here, making sure that nothing goes too wrong," Ozpin explained. "Ms Nikos, Ms Schnee, if you'd like to take over now? I'll be by our audience if you need me."

Ozpin stepped away, climbing the stairs at the end of the courtyard to what Ruby noticed were spectator stands, where she could see a few people, some she'd met and some she hadn't.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Ruby. Please call me Pyrrha," Pyrrha said in way of greeting.

"As well myself, a pleasure to meet you. Call me Weiss, if you would," Weiss greeted in much the same way.

Pyrrha gestured for Ruby to step closer. "Don't fret about the audience, that always happens for new people. They want to see what you're capable, and they serve as additional support should something go wrong."

Ruby nodded, stepping closer.

"Now, Weiss, should I start, or would you like to?" Pyrrha asked.

Weiss thought for a second, before facing Jaune. "Arc, I'd appreciate if you'd power up and prepare yourself. We might as well dive right in."

Jaune gave a nod to the platinum blonde, stepping back and closing his eyes.

Suddenly, his entire body was coated in a glow of pure white light, small flickers of energy echoing off his body.

When he opened his eyes again, Ruby could see herself reflected in the pure blue that seemed to just glow, sparks dancing about his body as the pure white light formed a shield, hovering just slightly out of reality as it seemed to flicker in and out of existence.

"There we go, that always gets the blood pumping," Jaune said with a laugh, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension.

His voice sounded ethereal, almost as if it was echoing about her head.

"Pyrrha, if you would do the same? Ozpin did say her last activation was… complicated," Weiss said, and Pyrrha nodded, stepping back and closing her eyes much like Jaune had.

Her body glowed a bright red, golden flecks of energy spitting about like magma, leaving scorch marks on the ground where it landed, dissipating quickly.

Her eyes opened, glowing a magnificent emerald, and the red glow formed a shield similar to Jaune's, though hers was circular, and Jaune's was more of a kite shape.

In her other hand, though, was a javelin of pure energy, crackling and glowing with almost reverential power.

"There, thank you Pyrrha. Now, Ruby, I'm going to step back, outside to the stands. Once I reach the stands, I want you to activate your magic, and try your best to maintain control. Pyrrha and Jaune will be able to stop you from losing control, do not worry. We also have someone specialised in magic draining, so you won't be out of control for long," Weiss said, pacing backwards.

Ruby watched as the white-haired girl exited the courtyard and took a seat next to Ozpin, who was watching with muted interest.

"Whenever you are ready, Ruby," Pyrrha said, her voice taking on the same aspect as Jaune's.

Ruby took a single step back, and closed her eyes.

The magic, she could feel it. She reached out to it in her mind's eye, grasping it with both hands.

It was like a vortex of swirling blood red energy, bolts of red lightning sparking off it and igniting her very veins, her nerves, her muscles.

When both her mental hands clasped it, she felt it flow through her entire body.

For Jaune and Pyrrha, they both stepped back in alarm as a bolt of bright red lightning arced of Ruby and struck Jaune's shield, mingling with the white energy and leaving a small trace of pink, before fading into nothingness.

Another bolt arced out and struck the ground, tracing a massive line of scorched dirt. Another struck Pyrrha's javelin, dispersing on impact.

It continued, amping up in frequency and size as Ruby continued to focus, and suddenly the air became toxic, unbreathable for those nearby.

Jaune coughed, magic reinforcing his lungs in order to prevent him from running out of air, but he could see Pyrrha doing the same, backing away much faster than she had been previously.

The heat that radiated from the small, red-cloaked girl was unbelievable, and Jaune noticed that where the red lightning struck it was leaving small patches of shattered, no, powdered glass.

The immense procedure came to a sudden halt as a great bolt of red lightning struck Ruby, accompanied by a devastatingly loud crash as thunder rolled through the sky, and suddenly there was silence.

Nothing but silence that stretched on for eternity.

"Ruby? You in control?" Jaune asked, shield at the ready.

Pyrrha, likewise readying her shield, shared a quick glance of concern with Jaune.

Ruby's eyes opened, the silver glowing so bright it was hard to look at.

"I-I thi-" Ruby began, before falling completely silent.

Jaune immediately tensed, his defenses hardening as he focused, and it was a good thing, too.

Ruby's eyes, dead inside, seemed to lock onto his, and all of a sudden she was gone.

Jaune paled, before his sixth sense triggered, and he spun nearly a hundred-eighty degrees, blocking a scythe made of pure red lightning that swung at him at speeds nearly faster than he could perceive with his enhanced eyes.

"Pyrrha, get out of here! She'll kill you, there's no way you can keep up with her speed, my impenetrable defense barely can!" Jaune shouted in between gasps and jolted shocks that shot up his arm.

Pyrrha took his word for it, backing up to the very boundary of the courtyard and dropping her magic.

Ruby was nigh impossible for Pyrrha to see with her enhanced vision, so when she dropped her magic and went to step back, the sheer surprise and shock that she felt when the scythe impacted the boundary shield right in front of her caused her to stumble backwards, falling onto her rear.

Weiss, along with the majority of the audience, were standing, shock and awe on their faces.

Jaune, for his part, was barely able to keep up, his body under a serious strain as his shield moved on pure instinct, blocking and deflecting that red lightning scythe with unerring accuracy, even as it seemed to come from three or four different angles all at once.

Jaune's magic had been named the impenetrable defense by none other than Ozpin, and even the man himself was in awe of the sheer skill their second-newest recruit was showing with his magic just to be able to keep up with Ruby.

Jaune felt something on his side, and he turned to block, only to have to block the exact opposite direction, the girl's feint proving to be so fast that it would only have worked on him.

She was out of control, and yet in control at the same time. This was not normal.

Weiss gaped at the display both were putting on.

She'd been quick to dismiss Jaune when she had met him, the boy barely managing to output a single spark of magic, but he'd slowly but steadily proven himself over the course of the months she'd known him, to the point that she herself had volunteered, alongside Pyrrha, to stop him when he lost control.

She herself had lost control for three whole days, her magical output exceeding even those who'd been here before. She'd thought that that meant she was the epitome of pure magical output, something that no one else could match.

Jaune had only been out of control for a couple hours, and Pyrrha had been less than an hour, though that hour had been a harrowing experience for those who had to bring her back to her senses.

The one thing they all had in common was that they fought on pure instinct. There was no training, no planning, nothing but pure, instinctual ferocity.

Ruby was not fighting like that. No, Ruby was slashing, cutting and dodging so fast and so effectively that it was impossible to believe that she was out of control, if not for the simply dead expression she wore.

No emotion, no thoughts, and yet her instincts were so refined and so powerful that she could control that speed without a thought.

And then there was the fact that the last time she'd lost control, it'd taken a month to bring her back to her senses.

Weiss's attention was drawn back to the fight as Jaune's defenses seemed to crack.

His shield was late to reach the wicked curve of the scythe, and it looked as if it hurt, carving right through the protective layer of his armor and sending a spray of blood into the air, where it seemed to just turn to mist.

Weiss realised that it wasn't Jaune's impenetrable defense that was being overwhelmed, that was impossible. It was the boy's very body. He couldn't physically move his body fast enough to block the attacks that seemed only to ramp up in speed as time went on.

"Weiss, we need to do something!" Pyrrha shouted, and Weiss nodded mutely, shock still etched into her mind.

"Grand Wizard Ozpin, sir, we could use some help!" Weiss exclaimed as she vaulted over the railing up at the spectator stands, stepping over the boundary and beginning the procedure to activate her magic.

Jaune's shout of warning was all the time she had as she felt a scythe of red lightning carve through any and all magic she had charged, the only thing preventing the scythe from carving through her being the hastily cast barrier glyph that appeared in front of her, just in time.

Ruby stood in front of Weiss, deadened eyes staring right through Weiss, as if she wasn't even there.

A glyph, remnants of Weiss's magic she'd managed to activate, appeared beneath Ruby, binding her in place.

Pyrrha and Jaune, both activated now, quickly closed in, each one grabbing an arm with their enhanced strength.

Another few figures entered the courtyard. Ren, Nora and Blake, all activating their magic as they approached rapidly. Blake grabbed Ruby's left leg, Nora her right, and Ren quickly placed his fingertips against Ruby's forehead, eyes glowing pink as he began the draining process.

"Hurry Ren, I don't know how long I can hold this glyph!" Weiss groaned out, her body shaking as her outstretched hand glowed white and pale blue.

A grunt of pain from Ren was the only answer, as the crackling red lightning passed from Ruby into his own magical glow. He coughed a splatter of blood onto the ground as he continued absorbing the energy.

Nearly a minute passed, and two things happened.

First, Weiss's glyph shattered under the strain.

Second, Ruby seemed to simply vanish.

All those who'd been holding her stumbled, looking around for the red-cloaked girl, only to locate her as a swift impact of the scythe hit Jaune's shield, launching his body into the air.

Ruby didn't even bother watching as he went up, scythe arcing down on a path to carve the now defenseless Weiss in half, but Pyrrha managed to throw her magical shield, hitting the side of the scythe and driving it into the dirt, where it simply carved through like it was air.

Nora quickly spun, her magics forming a massive warhammer, and struck Ruby in the chest, hard enough to drive the girl backwards a few feet, but when the dust cleared it was evident that whilst Ruby had slowed down, she wasn't down and out.

The haft of her glowing, crackling scythe had blocked the hit, and even Nora looked nervous.

And then, a single, uninterruptible burst of power shot out from behind them, green energy crackling with raw strength, as Ozpin joined the fight.

His shield, an orb that coated his very body, took impact after impact as Ruby unleashed upon it, driving all her magic into it, slash after slash doing nothing but chip away at the girl's own strength, which Ren had already sapped considerably.

"How long do you think she has, Mr Ren?" Ozpin asked the boy, who was laid on the ground, nose bleeding heavily.

"A couple minutes at most, sir," Ren said shakily.

"Very well. Those still standing, recover those no longer standing, I want all of you out of the boundary as soon as possible!" Ozpin shouted his orders, concentration etched into the very lines of his face.

It was at this moment that Ruby seemed to get a second wind, her scythe flickering through the air fast enough that it was beginning to drive even Ozpin back.

It took a minute, but finally the courtyard was empty, save Ruby and Ozpin. The man began to back up, towards the boundary, and Ruby was none the wiser, still slashing at the speed of lightning.

When Ozpin reached the barrier, he delivered a powerful strike that stunned Ruby for half a second, but that was enough time, the older man dropping his magics and stepping over the boundary.

Inside the boundary left Ruby, her expressionless eyes scanning her surroundings.

With no targets left, it seemed the girl had suddenly become docile, but that notion was soon dissuaded as she stepped up to the boundary, and began to slash.

Every strike from that red scythe made the boundary shield flicker, the massive dome of white energy turning opaque at every impact, before flickering back to transparency, only to repeat as the next strike hit.

"Grand Wizard, sir, is she going to break free?" Weiss asked, shock etched into her face.

Ozpin shook his head. "No. That barrier has resisted some of the most powerful beings in the planes. It will take more than her lack of control to break this down."

A crack spiderwebbed out from where Ruby's scythe impacted, sending a series of glances at Ozpin, who paled slightly.

They watched, in both anticipation and fear, as Ruby continued to strike away at the barrier.

At this point, multiple cracks were etched into the fabric of the magic that the barrier was made of, and whilst it was regenerating slowly, it was nowhere near the speed it needed to be at.

Then, the sound of slashing stopped.

They watched as Ruby's scythe disappeared, the red lightning no longer sparking around her, and she dropped to the ground, eyes vacant as she fell unconscious.

* * *

 **Now, this is a surprise. A new fic, you ask yourself, but why? He's barely able to get weekly chapters for Systema out, what the hell does Whale think he's doing, starting something new?**

 **Well, to answer the question you probably weren't asking but I asked pretending to be you...**

 **I felt like it. Really, that isn't all there is to it, but, well, I had an idea, which turned out to not be what this became at all. This is, so far, completely improvised. It has a few hints to further ideas, and a setting which I find really interesting, and it basically became a single thing that I latched onto, really enjoying the concept.**

 **This initial chapter is pretty long, to be honest, but I really like the idea so far, and I hope you do too!**

 **This won't be updated regularly, it'll be something I do spontaneously on and off as a way to breach my writer's block, but for a first chapter I like how this turned out, and I'm looking forward to continuing it.**

 **For those of you who didn't realise, this is heavily, heavily AU. Very heavily AU, in fact, so heavy you could call it whale-sized. Don't, though, that's offensive.**

 **Feel free to review, PM me, or send me a tweet at fat_flying to ask me any questions, and I'll do my best to answer/remedy any concerns!**

 **Oh, and there'll be another chapter of Systema tomorrow, don't worry.**

 **And, as always, see you next chapter  
~AFatFlyingWhale**


	2. Origins

**I know I said this wasn't going to be a regular thing, but here. The second chapter. My big, beautiful dog passed away today, at the positively ancient age of nearly 16, and the best way to cope with loss is to focus on work. Don't worry about me, though, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Pyrrha Nikos was a woman of many talents.

Most, if not all, of those talents involved injuring, maiming, killing or just outright decimating foes in single combat.

The other talents involved injuring, maiming, killing or just outright decimating foes in multiple-on-one combat.

It was safe to say that the redhead had earned her title as the 'Invincible Girl' through consistent, painful practise and constant tests of physique, her record in Mistral's fighting pits leaving her a remarkably rich girl.

Then, of course, with all those wins, those who bet against her found themselves with a grudge or two towards the girl.

Now, for this all to make sense, it would be important to know the history behind Mistral's laws towards magic.

In that it didn't have any laws towards magic.

Unlike Vale and Atlas, Mistral and Vacuo shared a rather tenuous grip on their magical communities, and whilst Vacuo was so desolate it barely had a form of functioning government, Mistral decided to just let the chips fall where they may, and roll with the consequences.

So when Pyrrha's admittedly minimal magical potential was realised as her secret to success, the people who'd bet against her and lost found themselves with a rather devious idea, one that wouldn't get them into any problems.

See, Mistral doesn't have any laws towards magic in one very specific way. If you can wield magic, you don't need the law or the government to protect you.

That single concept meant that Pyrrha was very much not at all treated with the same respect as any other non-magical being in Mistral.

So when the horde of angry, grudge-wearing criminals, spectators and others arrived to dissuade her of her talent for fighting, she decided that whilst she wasn't protected by the law, she also wasn't beholden to it.

This marked the first time Pyrrha lost control of her magic.

Years of fighting, training and exercise made Pyrrha Nikos a dangerous target, so when she lost control, it was suddenly very apparent that the instincts of this girl were very much beyond what those of the various people could cope with.

The Crimson Massacre, as it then became known as, resulted in the deaths of over fifty people. Forty of which were cut apart by a javelin, eight of which had their skulls caved in by shield, and two of which whose armor looked like it had simply crushed them.

When she finally regained control, Pyrrha was coated in blood, standing in her ruined house, surrounded by the bodies of those she had felled.

And yet the Invincible Girl felt no guilt. She felt no remorse.

What she only felt was satisfaction.

Now, what Pyrrha didn't realise, was that whilst she wasn't beholden to the law, the reason so many magic-wielders didn't lose control in fights like this was because the Mistralian governing body made sure to cull any particularly dangerous individuals.

With a Mistralian regiment of anti-magics on her trail, Pyrrha Nikos fled her home kingdom, headed elsewhere.

On the coast of Mistral, she had met an older gentleman who offered her a place at his tower, so that he could train and help improve her magical abilities.

Pyrrha, having spent nearly two months on the road at this point, willingly took up his offer, and thus Pyrrha had ended up at Beacon Tower.

She was honestly happy with the decisions she'd made, making it to where she was, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss the old days in the Mistral Pits, fighting for her life for the entertainment of thousands.

But, she'd met so many people she could call friends, so it was really a toss-up between which she'd prefer. Entertainment-sanctioned murder had been such good pay, though.

* * *

Weiss Schnee, Princess of Atlas.

There was a name that was familiar to many.

The princess who had gone off the deep end.

Atlas, being the highly strict, highly militarised kingdom it was, was sure to raise a highly strict, highly militarised princess, and yet, that wasn't quite what had happened.

Weiss Schnee was always unhappy. Something was always wrong, a servant unable to get something right, an interloper doing something offensive accidentally, or on purpose.

Sometimes it was worse, sometimes not so bad, but it meant that Weiss spent the majority of her life uncomfortably angry.

She couldn't help it, it was just how she was.

Then, on her fifteenth birthday, the immense kingdom-wide celebration, they'd attacked.

The uprising, or so Atlas had called it, where a group of resistance fighters had freed a bunch of slaves, and led an attack on the royal family.

Weiss had learned of these resistance fighters, through many of her father's talks. Jacques Schnee, Emperor of Atlas, was a racist, that much was certain. He was also Emperor of Atlas, so it didn't really matter if people disliked that about him.

"The White Fang," he'd ranted and raved about, ordering guard after guard to subdue and subjugate faunus after faunus in attempts to eliminate the threat to his tenancy as the most powerful man in Atlas.

The attackers had broken through the seemingly meagre defenses at Weiss's celebration, swords and crossbows indiscriminately cutting down any and all of the attendees.

Weiss was not defenseless, though, but she was angry, though that much was unsurprising.

A group of White Fang had approached her, only to find their deaths at the end of her rapier, the swift stabs leading them to coat the princess's white gown in liquid crimson.

More of them threw themselves at the princess, but Weiss had simply cut them down where they stood, only taking small cuts herself.

And, for the first time, she found herself without anger.

These faunus, these White Fang, had cut their way through her subjects, and yet Weiss felt nothing for them. They were just people, allied with her father. She had no true friends of her own, these people meant as much to her as the White Fang did.

Weiss had spent such a long time cutting down the men and women that she realised that all that was left were not the freed slaves, or the easy fodder of the untrained men and women of the resistance.

No, all that were left were the trained fighters of the resistance, the men and women that had spent their lives preparing for such an attack.

Attacks began driving the princess back, and she felt each cut, each injury as it was delivered, her assailants proving to be far more than she could handle.

Until, of course, she awoke her bloodline trait, her magic.

Suddenly, the grand hall where the celebration was being held felt as if it was in the middle of an Atlesian blizzard, ice creeping up the windows and walls, all stemming from a single source.

Weiss Schnee, Princess of Atlas, a walking blizzard.

Glyphs hovered in place all around her, and each glyph spun with the ferocity of a blizzard's wind. Bolts of lightning, shards of ice, gouts of flame and chunks of rock began to fly out of the glyphs, seemingly forming from nothing, and suddenly the White Fang was on the retreat, taking casualties faster than any other operation they'd undergone.

Suddenly, all that were left of the White Fang that hadn't retreated were two figures, both imbuing themselves with their own magical potential.

One, red and brown hair, mask intimidating for a reason, small bull horns sticking from the top of his head, the other black-haired, small cat ears folded over from the sounds of the destruction.

And they too lost control.

Weiss, out of control and still like the eye of a blizzard, suddenly found herself driven back under the assault of the two remaining White Fang members. One slashed and cut with a massive red sword, the curved blade cutting through anything she threw at him.

The other seemed to vanish in and out of the shadows at a whim, appearing on odd angles to get a surprise strike in.

Then, the guardsmen had appeared, finally reacting to the attack. Crossbows at the ready, the chorus of _twangs_ that followed the shouted order of the captain accompanying the flying bolts, which impacted against the two White Fang members, and the Princess herself.

This, as it turned out, was a very bad idea.

Suddenly, the three out of control magic-wielders changed targets, focusing their fury on those who had dared interrupt their fight.

The shadowcat had simply vanished into thin air, whilst the bull had simply charged the guardsmen, cutting through swaths of flesh with ease.

Weiss, for her part, simply willed her glyphs to aim and release, the torrential output of magic she released simply liquefying the guardsmen that got too close. The rest found themselves under the assault of various elements, charring, shocking, freezing and crushing those unfortunate enough to not be able to dodge.

The shadowcat had reappeared, though, and for some reason, the bull had turned on her, slashing away.

There were no teams for those out of control.

Weiss redirected her glyphs at the bull as he delivered a near-fatal blow to the cat faunus, knocking her magic clean away with that single, red-glowing strike, and as the bull fell under the seemingly infinite magical potential that Weiss output, she felt herself weaken.

A glyph shattered, followed by a second, and the sheer energy she'd been outputting simply slowed, more and more glyphs shattering from the stress, and as the bull fled, his own power breaking around him, Weiss collapsed.

A massive smile on her face.

* * *

Blake had not meant to slaughter so many people.

No, she had fought for peace, for prosperity, like her father had taught her.

And yet she followed Adam's orders to the letter, cutting through the slavers, the city guard, and then the advisors, the celebrating attendees, the innocent civilians.

Adrenaline flowed through her mind, and what was and wasn't a threat blended together until there was no difference in her head.

Then, they'd been driven back by a sheer gale force wind of frost. Weiss Schnee, hated Princess of Atlas, out of control.

Blake had to admit she respected the girl for that. For a princess to fight, it was strange, but to have such a pure magical potential, something that Blake could definitely sense, and to have the simple will to use it, that demanded a certain level of respect.

Of course, respect or not, the girl needed to die, that much was certain to both Blake and Adam.

The man was busy, it seemed, enjoying the screaming of a woman on the end of his blade, her slave joining in, throttling the woman.

"Adam, the Princess!" Blake shouted, pointing at the rapidly encroaching frost and death that seemed to float about the platinum-blonde girl.

Adam noticed, commanding his men to attack, and while they charged, he closed his eyes behind his mask, and Blake joined him, the two coalescing their magics, until they felt it activate.

Of course, neither had the willpower or the experience to remain in control. They too lost themselves to their powers, and suddenly the battlefield was a whirlwind of pain, anger and sheer magic.

Then Adam had turned on Blake.

His sword, glowing red with pure magic, struck her in the undefended chest, cutting straight through any and all of her magical power and severing the connection, dropping her unceremoniously on the ground, her breath coming short and sharp. She tilted her head, and watched.

The glyphs rounded on her mentor, the man who had just betrayed her, and she felt nothing as she watched him flee, his magic shattering around his body as he left.

Fully expecting to be the next victim, Blake looked towards the princess, and stared in shock as she noticed the grin on her face, the girl collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

Something that Blake was about to become very familiar with.

* * *

"Princess Weiss Schnee of Atlas, Princess Blake Belladonna of Menagerie. What an interesting conflict the two of you had."

That voice, neither girl had heard it before, and yet it invoked something deep within them.

Something more than respect, this voice demanded reverence, and yet the elderly gentleman's face was nothing but a small line of humour.

"Well, I call you by your titles, but for all intents and purposes, you are dead. Executed for your crimes against nature, I'm afraid."

The man's voice held a tone that neither girl could understand.

"I suppose you have two options. You can either spend the rest of your lives chained up down here, or you could come with me. I have need of your magics."

Blake glared at the princess, who returned the glare.

"Fine," the two chorused, before swapping glares once more.

The elderly gentleman laughed. "Do try to get along, girls. You have so much in common."

* * *

Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie were an inseparable pair.

Ren spent his time healing the various injuries that Nora got, and Nora spent her time picking fights with people who disliked her ubiquitous, excitable attitude towards life.

They both spent what free time they had travelling amongst Mistral's frontier, killing Grimm and bandits wherever they appeared.

Ren, an expert in all things medical, was also very good at combat surgery, as he liked to call it. Precision knife blows were remarkably effective at disabling and disarming opponents.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Nora found her passion at the end of a colossal warhammer, and used that weapon with such vicious efficiency that those that didn't simply run in fear found themselves on the end of shattered limbs, crushed limbs, or occasionally, pulverised limbs.

They'd spent the good part of their lives together, just roaming around and helping villages, until they found what they were looking for.

One Grimm, a single Grimm, had led the charge that had destroyed their home, killed their families, and the two had been inseparable since that day, the only two survivors.

They were yet to find this Grimm, the beast leaving no trace, but they were still searching.

In fact, they spent so much time searching that they didn't even notice that the camp they'd walked into was not the camp of the bandits they'd been tracking.

An elderly gentleman, a red-haired warrior, a black-haired faunus and a white-haired princess stared at them, in varying degrees of shock and amusement.

"Oh, my apologies. We had not meant to disturb you, we thought you were our quarry," Ren said in way of apology, slowly backing away.

Nora, however, was never one to back away from a fight. "Hey, you guys wouldn't happen to have seen a bunch of filthy bandits come this way?"

The elderly gentleman laughed gently. "No, my dear, I'm afraid not. Unless you count that group of bandits these girls killed."

Ren shared a glance with Nora. "How long ago was this?"

The red-haired warrior answered. "Only a day or so ago, not too far from here actually. None survived."

"Oh. Well, I must offer our gratitude to you for taking care of the problem we'd been contracted to remove. Come, Nora, we should be going," Ren said, placing his hand on the shoulder of the ginger.

"Aw. I was looking forward to breaking their legs," Nora sulked, allowing herself to be led away.

"You were contracted to hunt down these bandits?" The man asked, standing from his position on the stump of a tree that had been serving as his seat.

Ren turned to face the man. "Yes, we were. Why do you ask?"

The man gave no answer, just withdrawing into his thoughts for a moment.

"Were you aware of their rather… magical nature?" The man asked, after a time.

Ren shook his head, his face betraying nothing. "I was not aware of that fact. I can appreciate your help all the more, however."

The man smiled an enigmatic smile. "Well, Mr Lie, Ms Valkyrie, it was a pleasure to meet you."

Ren immediately drew his daggers, and Nora withdrew her warhammer, Ren's quiet personality and Nora's bubbly effervescence dying quickly as the situation suddenly became far more serious.

"How do you know our names?" Ren asked, a frown on his face.

The man simply raised his hand, a gesture to his three female companions to lower their weapons.

"I've been looking for you. For nothing bad, mind you, your names merely piqued my interest. I spend time travelling the world, acquiring and recruiting magically powerful people from all over the world. From the tales I've heard of you and Ms Valkyrie, I can see that you would be remarkable additions to Beacon," The man explained.

"Thanks, but we must refuse," Ren replied, a slight amount of heat in his voice.

"And yet you haven't heard my offer yet. Hear an old man out, if you would be so kind?" The man said with an enigmatic laugh.

Ren lowered his hands, daggers still gripped tight, and Nora placed the head of her warhammer on the ground.

"Excellent. If you come with me, train at Beacon Tower, I can help you and Ms Valkyrie find that elusive Grimm you've been tracking."

Even Ren couldn't wipe the expression of shock off his face. "How did-"

"How I do what I do isn't anywhere near as important as you think it is, Mr Lie. Do the two of you agree to my terms?"

The man waited patiently as Ren stepped back, quietly discussing with Nora.

It took less than a minute for the two to come up with an answer.

"If you'll have us, we accept."

* * *

Every moment was pain and agony for him.

Each kick, each punch, every blow felt like fire in his body.

It hurt so damn much, and he couldn't even stand up to stop it.

"Come on, Jauney! Not even going to try and fight back?" The tallest, largest boy there laughed, delivering another steel-capped kick to Jaune's chest.

Jaune's reply was to cough and splutter, feeling bile force its way up his throat. He had enough time to swallow it back down before a second, stronger kick impacted against his ribs, driving the air from his lungs with a horrifying cracking sound.

"Ooh, that one's gotta hurt, Jauney-boy. You should've just left her well alone, let us have our fun, but you just had to butt in, didn't you? You just had to play the hero."

Jaune, through the tears of pain that lingered in his eyes, met the gaze of the girl, huddled in the corner of the alley, torn clothes filthy as she shivered in fear, cowering from the four boys that assaulted him.

Another blow to the stomach drove his eyes closed as the bile spilled from his mouth, his body unable to resist the urge.

"Look at you, Jauney! You've soiled yourself. What a hero!" The boy laughed, and the other three echoed the laugh.

More kicks formed the prelude before a stomp hit him in the head, driving his consciousness into sheer nonexistence.

His vision swam when he opened his eyes once more.

The sun had travelled across the majority of the sky in a single blink, though Jaune realised that was more from the fact he'd been unconscious for hours.

He tried to stand, only to be unable to move his body.

"Urgh…" The blond groaned in pain, trying to look around.

The alley stunk of blood, bile, and various trash, and Jaune wasn't sure how he felt about that girl's absence.

Another groan of pain escaped his lips involuntarily, followed by a sharp intake of breath.

He'd broken a couple of ribs, that was for sure. He wasn't coughing up blood, though, so they hadn't pierced his lungs. That was a good thing, a silver lining on the single cloud that occupied the bright, clear sky.

"Oh, Jaune. What have you done now?"

The one voice he didn't want to hear, especially not now.

"Hey, Joan," Jaune greeted, though it came out more as a gurgle of blood and teeth.

"Gods, Jaune, this is serious. Come on, let's get you out of here." Joan said, bending down and lifting him up, her face contorting with a wince as the boy groaned in pure, unrelenting agony as she carried him.

She helped him out of the alley and towards the town's infirmary, where she gently laid him in a bed that Jaune had spent nearly as much time in as his own.

"Jaune and Joan Arc. What a surprise. Who did he pick a fight with this time?"

Joan looked towards the person who was speaking. "Healer Ray! I… I don't know, but it's serious!"

The healer nodded in agreement, placing a hand against Jaune's chest, as Jaune gave a sharp breath at the pressure.

"Yes, it seems so. You'd think your brother would have learned his lesson the last hundred times he was in here," the healer said, shaking his head.

Magic began to glow at the healer's fingertips, diffusing into Jaune, and Joan watched as the boy's laboured breathing began to steady, slowly but surely.

Teeth began to regrow in the boy's mouth, and flesh that had been torn open began to mend, stitching itself back together.

Even shattered bone reformed, moving back into place and reestablishing connections.

The swelling on Jaune's face died down, and he could finally open his eyes fully, the blackened bruises around his eyes slowly returning to his regular skin tone.

And the concussion began to heal, allowing the boy to think a little clearer.

"Damnit, Jaune! You damned fool! Stop doing this to yourself!" His sister exclaimed, gently slamming a fist on his now healed arm.

"Sorry, Joan. I had to," Jaune groaned, the pain still receding yet still present.

"Jaune, you don't have to. You never had to!" Joan exclaimed again, becoming more hysterical.

"They were about to have their way with a girl, Joan. I couldn't look at myself if I didn't step in."

Joan's reply was cut off as the girl stared, anger etched into her face. "They… who, Jaune?"

"Winchester, and his friends." Jaune's reply was strained and quiet, but Joan heard it well enough.

The sheer growl that left his sister's lips brought a small smirk to Jaune's face. "That utter bastard. He won't get away with it this time!"

Jaune shook his head. "Of course he will. His father's the head of the guard, and his mother's the mayor. There isn't much he can't do that won't get overlooked as 'rambunctious boys being boys', Joan."

"I'm going to make sure he doesn't do it again, Jaune. In the square, where he can't just do what he wants. If he wants to use his parents to avoid consequences, we won't give him an option. See what he does then," Joan said, and Jaune reached up, gripping his sister's hand tightly.

"Don't, Joan. It'll only make him target you, too. I can take it, but there's no way I'm letting you deal with what I deal with."

Joan stood up. "Do you feel better?"

Jaune nodded, standing up.

"Healer Ray! Thanks for the help! What do we owe you?" Joan called out.

Healer Ray, who'd walked off the moment Jaune had been healed, poked his head back in the room. "I'll send the bill to your parents. I'm certain they'll be happy to hear about getting the opportunity to support the infirmary for the next month all by themselves again."

Jaune and Joan both paled, but the muttered thanks was all that Healer Ray needed to hear. "I'm kidding, kids. This one's free, just… don't go making it a habit. Next time your parents get a pretty big letter."

Jaune and Joan nodded, before Joan practically dragged Jaune out of the infirmary.

She led him to the square, the town in the middle of its bustling day, and she stepped into the center of the square, up on the raised dais.

Jaune winced as his sister, who did not share his utter nervousness as the center of attention, shouted.

"Cardin Winchester! Come out here, or so help me!" Joan shouted, her sharp voice splitting through the hustle and bustle of the square.

It drew the attention of the majority of people walking around, and it was only moments before Cardin stepped out of the tavern, a frown on his face.

"What do you want, Arc?" He growled loud enough to be heard.

"You beat my brother within an inch of his life because he tried to stop you from raping a girl!" Joan shouted, her words drawing the attention of everyone, even those who'd been ignoring what had happened thus far.

Cardin paled, but only for a second, before he stepped up to the dais, glaring at Joan. "I didn't do that, you blonde moron!"

Joan stared daggers at him, not backing down. Jaune stepped up next to his sister, placing a protective hand on her shoulder.

"You think you can just accuse me of something like that without any kind of evidence? I'll show you what happens to people like you!" Cardin shouted, stepping up onto the dais, but Jaune stepped in-between Cardin and his sister.

Cardin reacted to that as one would expect, shoving Jaune off the dais with a hefty fist, and proceeding to backhand Joan across the face, launching her off the dais and onto the stone floor.

Jaune, anger written onto his face, crawled to his feet, quickly reaching Joan.

"Joan, are you okay?" He asked, but there was no response. "Joan?"

Still no response. Jaune grabbed his sister by the shoulders, giving her a gentle shake. "Joan?!"

His voice was ramping up in intensity, and it wasn't until the fifth time he said her name he noticed the trail of blood leaking from the back of her head, or the fact that his sister wasn't breathing.

Jaune slumped back, kneeling, his sister in his arms.

Tears streamed down the blond's face as he wept.

"Serves her right," Cardin muttered.

Jaune's world went very, very white.

* * *

"Ruby? Ruby? You back with us?"

Silver eyes fluttered open, unfocused.

The sudden, overwhelming urge to throw up filled her body, but she resisted, steeling her nerve as pain filled her body.

"Urgh, I don't remember it hurting this much last time," Ruby groaned out, blinking away the tears that pooled at the corners of her eyes.

"Welcome to the life at Beacon Tower. If you aren't in pain, you aren't doing it right," Jaune quipped from his seat at her bedside.

Ren, on the other side, his palm glowing with magic, nodded in amused agreement.

"What happened? I didn't hurt anybody, did I?" Ruby asked, suddenly worried. She tried to sit up, but the combination of weariness and Jaune's arm pushing her back down prevented it.

"Well, you gave us all a good workout, and nicked my arm a little, but nothing serious. Don't worry, I've been hurt way worse," Jaune said with a casual smile, showing Ruby his arm. "Not even a scar."

That didn't stop Ruby from feeling guilty, though. "I'm so sorry, Jaune!"

Jaune waved off the apology. "Nah, don't fret about it. It was nothing."

"It wasn't nothing! I- I hurt you!" Ruby exclaimed.

A new voice joined the conversation. "If that had hurt Jaune, he'd never have made it this far in Beacon."

Ruby looked to the door, to see Blake gently closing it behind her.

"Ren, Jaune," Blake greeted, the two nodding their greeting in return.

"But I-" Ruby began, but Blake quickly interrupted.

"I've sparred with Jaune a few times now, Ruby, and the idiot can take a beating. A small cut is nothing in comparison to what I've seen him take. The bed next to you is unofficially his, for a good reason."

Jaune laughed good-naturedly. "I've probably spent a quarter of my nights in the infirmary since I've gotten here. A combination of pushing myself too far too fast, and failing to perform."

Blake's smirk widened slightly. "According to Pyrrha, 'failing to perform' isn't a problem you suffer from."

Jaune's face tinged pink, but he laughed it off. "At least I know how to wind down without 'Ninja's of Love', Blake."

Blake's smirk disappeared as quick as it came. "You-"

"Enough, you two. You're traumatising Ruby," Ren chastised, a small smile gracing his face.

Ruby's bright red face was enough to remind the two that there was another in their presence, one that wasn't as used to their good-natured bickering as the rest of Beacon.

Bashfully, Jaune rubbed the back of his head. Blake at least had the decency to look away, embarrassed.

"Is Ruby ready to be discharged?" Blake asked, once she'd recovered.

Ren nodded. "If she feels fine. My healing is finished, so it's up to her."

"I feel fine now, thanks Ren. I have to apologize to the others, though," Ruby said, sidling out of the bed and brushing her clothes down, attempting to physically urge the creases out.

Blake shook her head. "You don't have to apologize to anyone, nor do you have the luxury of finding everyone right now. We wouldn't normally plunge you into something so fast after something like this, but we don't have much of a choice."

Jaune stood from the seat he'd taken, a concerned look on his face. "Blake, what's going on?"

"The Atlesian Empire just declared war on Vale."

* * *

 **Some stuff happening, and despite the fact that this story still has no concrete plot I'm doing what I do best and improvising. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I have to say, I'm stunned at the support the first chapter received!**

 **Thanks to all of you who left reviews, and everyone who fav'ed and followed!**

 **And, as always, see you next chapter  
~AFatFlyingWhale**


	3. Bootcamp

_So I'm saying my goodbyes, goodbye to my good side. It only ever got me hurt, and I finally learned, it's a cruel, cruel world._

* * *

Ozpin paced back and forth, mind a whirling mess, not that it would be all that apparent to those who saw him. He tempered his expressions with very precise action, of course.

No matter his life experience or tempered expressions though, he couldn't fathom the reason behind Glynda coming to Beacon for his help.

"I'm sorry, Glynda, can you ask me again? I feel as if I missed something crucial."

"I'm requesting that you deploy Beacon as a special force in the upcoming, inevitable conflict with Atlas," Queen Glynda Goodwitch repeated.

Ozpin sat back down in his chair, barely a hint of a frown on his face. "Beacon does not house soldiers, Glynda. You know that as well as I."

Glynda shook her head. "I'm not asking for soldiers, Ozpin. I'm asking for weapons."

The man poured himself a cup of a cold liquid, his hand waving over it, coming away steaming. "You want me to direct these children into a warzone, with no regards for casualties?"

The queen nodded her head. "Yes. If they kill some Valean soldiers, the cost is more than justified. Just, do try to keep them away from Valean forces. Justified does not mean wanted."

At that, Ozpin cracked a small smile. "We'll just have to see how the tide of battle ebbs and flows, I suppose."

* * *

"War?!" Jaune exclaimed, concern etched into his face.

The common room that they all sat in was filled with people that shared his expression.

Ruby was sandwiched between Jaune and Blake, the two having claimed the couch as unofficial protectors of the newest member of Beacon. Behind the couch stood Pyrrha, one hand clutching Jaune's shoulder. Ren and Nora sat on the other couch, expressions grim, and Weiss, the last of the group in the common room, stood by the fireplace, the roaring fire doing nothing to warm her cold demeanour.

"Yes, Jaune, we've been over this already," Weiss said with a frown, staring at the blond boy.

"Yeah, I know, but why?" Jaune asked, mind spinning.

"I wouldn't know. There has been no announcement, no news, and Ozpin has said nothing in regards to the situation. Until he does, I doubt any of us can figure this out ourselves," Weiss explained, like one would to a confused child.

"Speak of the devil," Blake muttered under her breath, and a moment later the door to the common room swung open, the grey-haired man stepping through, cane in one hand, mug of hot drink in the other.

"Well, it's good to see you've all gathered. That does save us some time. Ms Rose, how are you feeling?"

Ruby nearly jumped out of her seat at the shock of being addressed. "I-I'm fine, sir! Just a little worried."

"Hmm, as I'd expect you all to be. I've just spoken with Her Highness, and she has told me a little of what is happening," The man said, stepping next to the fireplace, adjacent Weiss, who quickly moved, standing behind Ren and Nora. "According to the Queen, Atlas, under the direct orders of Emperor Schnee, declared war on Vale last night, citing the reason as 'the murder of Imperial Princess Weiss Schnee by Valean Anti-Magics' as the sole excuse for the war. To me, and many others, we realise that this is a shallow excuse for a territory grab, so no, Ms Schnee, revealing yourself to be alive will not assist us in solving this problem."

The man took a sip of his drink, before continuing. "As such, Queen Goodwitch has asked me to provide Beacon's services in the war, as a specialist force to be deployed in enemy occupied territory. There are some ground rules I will establish, but that won't be until we are needed. As such, there are others I must inform. Understand that your duties have not changed, and I will inform you of any such changes as per usual. Thank you for your time."

With that, the man left the room in a dull silence, the door creaking slowly closed behind him.

"Well, that answers my question, I guess," Jaune quipped, trying to lighten the situation.

"Well, you heard Ozpin. Usual duties, so let's get to work, please," Pyrrha said, giving Jaune's shoulder a squeeze before releasing her grip, heading for the door.

"Pyrrha's right, as usual. Come on Ruby, Blake and I are in charge of your training for the time being," Jaune said, himself standing and walking towards the now open door, Pyrrha having left it open.

Blake led Ruby alongside the blonde boy to the training yard.

Training was about to begin.

* * *

Training was gruelling. The girl bent double, heaving and panting as sweat drenched her clothes, but she was nowhere close to giving up, not by a longshot.

"Again!" The voice called, and she shot forward, fists bared, throwing a heavy swing at the opponent she faced.

The boy, her opponent, took the punch with the grace of a beheaded horse, collapsing in a bundle of lanky limbs as she shook her fist, wiping the blood off.

"Up, boy!" The voice called, but the boy did not stand. "Bah. Healer!"

Yang watched as one of the healers ran out onto the dirt patch, grabbing the boy by the shoulders and unceremoniously dragging him towards the small tent set up by the edge.

"Good showing, girl. Take a break, you're done for the time being," The voice said, and Yang wasn't one to refuse, grabbing her kit and heading for the communal bathing area, which was just a fancy way of saying a small stone building with buckets of water.

She was far too tired to care about the other recruits that ogled her, simply ripping her sparring top off and tossing it to the side, grabbing a sponge and sinking it into the bucket, before dabbing and scrubbing away at her body.

She heard a wolf-whistle emerge from the quiet murmurs, but she could barely bring herself to care. They weren't here to have a good time, and most of them would be dead by this time next week.

War approached fast when facing Atlas, or so her commanding officer had said.

And, unsurprisingly, she, a lowly grunt in the Valean army, was expected to train her ass off, only to go practically throw herself at the enemy.

Of course, she was putting her all into it. She didn't have any way of knowing who could be watching at any given moment, so she wanted to impress, but at the moment, she was being watched by a group of recruits who were most certainly impressed.

"Yo, Xiao Long, give us a smile!" One of the recruits with more courage than sense called out, a jeering smirk on his face.

Yang decided she didn't like that all too much, and she'd had enough.

She didn't even bother with covering herself. They were about to remember something significantly more important than her chest.

One foot in front of the other, she paced close to the one who'd called out, a demure smile on her face.

"You want me to smile? Aw, sure, but only for you. How about we do something that only you get, though?" Yang said, lacing her words with pure seduction.

The recruit was caught off-guard, but he nodded vigorously at the suggestion.

"Well, c'mere, lemme give you something to remember me by," Yang said, beckoning him to lean closer.

The recruit did so, leaning close, and Yang got within a hair's width away from his lips before her knee shot up into his crotch with unrivaled power and speed.

The only thing protecting her knee from his flesh was the towel he was holding, which the poor recruit dropped with a squeal of agony, like a pig being butchered.

"Fuck off, unless you want some yourself," Yang spat at the rest of her audience, before turning on her heel and returning to her bucket and sponge.

The pale faces of the terrified recruits wouldn't make her any friends, but that wasn't what Yang was here for.

No, at the moment, she was here to finish cleaning up, and so she did, dressing back in her kit as she stepped out of the bathing area.

One of the healers stepped past her as she left, leveling a stare, but Yang ignored it, heading towards the mess. She'd just trained, she deserved a good lunch. Having a little extra time to have it was going to be nice, too.

Of course, Yang needed to stop jinxing herself.

"Recruit Xiao Long!"

Yang spun to attention, saluting the man who had called out her name. "Staff Sergeant, sir!"

"At ease, recruit. There is an officer who wishes to speak with you, in regards to your recent results," The Staff Sergeant said. "Follow me, recruit."

"Yes, sir." Yang followed the man as he led her to a tent, stopping outside and motioning for her to enter.

Once she did, she once again snapped to attention. "Sir, Recruit Xiao Long reporting as requested!"

"At ease, Xiao Long. I'd like to speak with you. Take a seat."

The officer was much more lithe than Yang had been expecting, with brown hair flecked with grey and an easy smile.

"I'm Master Sergeant Cross. I'd like to speak to you about your past. Specifically, the incident a month ago."

Yang, sitting in the chair, gripped the armrests, knuckles going white. "What about it, sir?"

"According to the incident report, you stopped the perpetrator with the use of advanced Anti-Magic capabilities. Is this true?"

Yang answered, forcing the words through her grit teeth. "Yes, sir. I was taught by my father and uncle for a number of years."

"And, according to the incident report, the culprit was your younger half-sister, was it not?"

Yang nodded, this time not even able to form words.

"And, as according to the incident report, your half-sister, Ruby Rose, was executed for her crimes, in accordance with the laws. Am I correct?"

Yang nodded again, trying her damnedest to rid her eyes of the tears that pooled in the corners.

"Well, recruit, I have two First Sergeants constantly telling me that it would be a shame to waste such potential, and I have to agree. How would you like to take the fight to those who wrote that damned law that got your sister executed?"

Yang's head shot up, lavender eyes meeting brown as Cross gave a smirk. "With all my heart, sir."

"I thought you might. Welcome to Anti-Magic Squad Dragon, Private First Class Xiao Long."

* * *

"I spoke with Ozpin, Jaune. We might be in some serious trouble."

Jaune looked at Pyrrha with a sad smile. "We won't be, Pyr. It's Ruby I'm worried about."

Pyrrha closed the distance between the two, pulling the covers of their bed in tighter as she wrapped herself tighter in his arms.

"She's doing great, training wise, but it's only been a week of the basics. She's going to be in for a real trial by fire, more than any of us ever had to deal with."

Pyrrha hummed in agreement. "Is there anything we can do to help speed her along?"

Jaune shook his head slightly. "I don't think so, unless we can somehow teach her not to cave in to the guilt of war. Hell, I've barely done any more than fight bandits. At least I'm to busy being worried about her to be worried about myself."

Pyrrha thought for a moment, before coming to a decision. "Let me train her alone, tomorrow. I'll see what I can do. As for now, though…"

Pyrrha pushed herself further into Jaune, face heating up.

Jaune gave her a small chuckle, as he reached his hands down.

Sleep would come easy, but not for a little while yet.

* * *

Sunrise meant waking, and despite the fact that Ruby felt as if she'd been hit by an entire castle, she still stood herself up, aching muscles doing their best to make her actively hate every moment.

Blake was already awake, the girl shuffling through her belongings in search of something to wear, or at least that was what the rational part of Ruby's mind came up with.

The irrational part, which, this early in the morning, was most of her mind, was far to busy focusing on the beauty of the figure that stood with her back facing her.

Curves, muscles, lithe and flexible but strong and fit, all of it made Ruby blush.

Blake turned to face Ruby as Ruby turned to face anywhere else, trying to conceal her expression. "Morning, Ruby."

"M-morning, Blake…" Ruby replied, trailing off.

The conversation seemed to stagnate, not that Blake minded. "I'm headed to get some breakfast, care to join?"

Ruby shot up to her feet, grabbing her clothes and rapidly dressing. All traces of prior thoughts were erased at the prospect of a good breakfast before the inevitable training made her wish she actually had been executed.

"I'll take that as a yes, I suppose."

* * *

Breakfast was, as it tended to be at Beacon, a mild affair. Nothing complicated, nothing extravagant, just good, filling food.

"Morning Blake, Ruby," Jaune said, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table as the two girls. Pyrrha joined him, looking much worse for wear than he.

"Sleep well, you two?" Blake asked with a knowing smirk.

"Blake, one of these days, I'm going to find more things to use against you, and then you'll see what it's like. Ninja's of Love is only so embarrassing," Jaune replied without missing a beat.

Pyrrha and Ruby both blushed at the implications, though for different reasons.

"Now, as scintillating as this conversation is, Blake, today you and I are taking a step back from training. Pyrrha will be handling today's training herself," Jaune explained, taking a bite of his breakfast.

Pyrrha managed to recollect herself. "You've been getting the basics down really well, or so Jaune tells me, but he's asked me to talk to you about some more… specific subjects. Things we'll go into more detail when we get to them."

Ruby nodded, as she ate her breakfast, listening intently.

"Morning, all!" Nora cheered as she stepped through the door to the dining room, a smile on her face.

The chorus of greeting was the usual, and whilst Ren was already in the kitchen, having been rostered for this mornings cooking, the only one missing was Weiss.

Weiss had a reputation of being a heavy sleeper. Of course, Ruby did too, but it wasn't like she was given much of a choice regarding her sleeping habits lately.

So when Weiss bust through the door with a worried expression on her face, it was easy to tell something was wrong.

"We have a situation!"

* * *

 **Well, that was a fun little middle-arc chapter. We're seeing some more about characters, a few tidbits of information, a few hints to future plans, and a couple more little things. I'm trying to be all artsy with the song lyrics at the start of the chapter, too...** **Song is Cruel World by Phantogram, by the way.**

 **This chapter's pretty short, though, but I think it fits rather nicely. It's the calm before the storm, I suppose, and establishes a few things. We'll be getting into the war pretty soon, though, so this kinda chapter was needed to pace it out a bit. No sense rushing right in without the right buildup.**

 **I'm glad all of you are enjoying this, so far the feedback has been excellent, thanks for all of your reviews! Yes, there will be pairings, and as for Salem... wait and see.**

 **Also regular spoiler rules exist for Vol 6. If it's publicly available, its free game to talk about, but not if it's still first only.**

 **I'm also on Pa Treon / AFatFlyingWhale so if you wanna support me, please feel free.**

 **And, as always, see you next chapter  
~AFatFlyingWhale**


End file.
